3 Ways to Bring Abraham Lincoln to Life in Your Classroom

Abraham Lincoln is one of America’s most famous presidents. Considering his efforts with the Union, the Emancipation Proclamation, and his magnificent speeches, Lincoln is an important figure for students of all ages to learn about. For students who may struggle to wrap their heads around historical events, educators at Mobile Ed Productions, Inc. have several immersive activities for you to use to help teach about Abraham Lincoln in your classroom this year. 

Abraham Lincoln is a fascinating president to learn about. People during his own time period were fascinated by him too. Though he has many famous accomplishments, he is well known for his character. He treated people with grace while remaining perseverant, honest, empathetic, and humble. He is perhaps most famous for his impactful speeches, which are known to be incredibly empathetic, convincing, and logical. His impact as president came to an end when he was assassinated in office. But there is much for us to learn from his time in and out of the office. 

Here are five benefits of learning history according to Nordia Anglia Education: 

1. Develops a better understanding of our world and why our society works the way it does.
2. Builds our character through learning life lessons. 
3. Creates an understanding of our identities.
4. Establishes a clearer future by learning from past mistakes.
5. Forms literacy and critical thinking skills.

Social studies is a fundamental part of the American educational curriculum. Our Mobile Ed Productions team recognizes that the importance of learning history spreads further than just knowledge; learning our history affects our future, our identities, and our character. For 43 years, our goal at Mobile Ed has been to “educate through entertainment” so that students stay engaged, get excited about learning, and ultimately carry new educational concepts into their futures. 

Listed below are three ways to make your lesson history on Lincoln more engaging for your students: 

• Act it Out. Enrich your students’ historical experience by making them act out events in history. This could be done in many ways, but popular strategies our educators have used include dressing up for the time period, designing Lincoln’s political campaign and voting on the best ones, and presenting Lincoln's speeches. 

• Bring in a Guest Speaker. Students can’t help but be engrossed when history is presented right in front of them. Bring in a guest speaker or another teacher to perform a speech by Lincoln. The Living Lincoln program from Mobile Ed Productions brings Lincoln to life through a high-quality, educational performance from Lincoln “himself.” 

• Use Technology. Technology is a great tool for educators, especially for teaching history. If possible, use technology like creating your own historical films, studying newspaper articles from the time period, creating social media accounts for Abraham Lincoln, or going on a virtual tour of a museum or battlefield. 

Mobile Ed Productions, Inc. is well known for our Historical Heroes series, and Abraham Lincoln is one of our most popular heroes to perform! In this Mobile Ed program, your students travel back in time to visit Abraham Lincoln, ask him questions, and listen to a first-person account of his personal and political life. Through testimonies, speeches, and a few funny jokes, students will have a once-in-a-lifetime experience learning about Lincoln directly from “himself.” 

Mobile Ed Productions, Inc. created our Historical Heroes series to teach history in a way that steps outside of a student’s daily routine. The Living Lincoln program from Mobile Ed Productions might be the most surprising program for students; Lincoln is intelligent, impressive, and a president of many “firsts.” Many students find this program emotionally impactful while also being motivated by it. 

In this K-8 program, students will learn about: 

• Lincoln's boyhood adventures
• The Emancipation Proclamation
• A summary of the 16th Presidency
• Lincoln's assassination

You can find more details about this program on our website. Contact us at info@mobileedproductions.com with any questions or to see availability for our programs. We are looking forward to connecting with you!

This article was inspired by Resilient Educator.